🥝History of New Zealand Unit 7 – Māori Renaissance: Striving for Equality

Historical Context

• Māori faced significant challenges and inequalities following European colonization in the 19th century
• The Treaty of Waitangi (1840) established British sovereignty while guaranteeing Māori rights and ownership of their lands, forests, and fisheries
  • However, the English and Māori versions of the treaty differed, leading to disputes and breaches of the agreement
• Māori experienced land confiscation, loss of resources, and erosion of their cultural practices and language
• By the mid-20th century, Māori faced socioeconomic disparities, including lower education levels, higher unemployment rates, and poorer health outcomes compared to Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent)
• Urbanization in the post-World War II period led to the disconnection of many Māori from their traditional lands and cultural roots
• The 1960s and 1970s saw a growing awareness and activism among Māori to address these inequalities and assert their rights under the Treaty of Waitangi

Key Figures and Movements

• The Māori Renaissance was a cultural, political, and social movement that emerged in the 1970s and 1980s
• Key figures included activists, artists, writers, and politicians who advocated for Māori rights and cultural revitalization
• Whina Cooper, a prominent Māori leader, led the 1975 Land March to protest ongoing land alienation and breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi
  • The march covered the length of the North Island and attracted thousands of supporters
• Ngā Tamatoa (The Young Warriors) was a Māori activist group formed in the early 1970s that fought for Māori rights, language preservation, and an end to racial discrimination
• The Waitangi Action Committee, established in 1979, organized annual protests at Waitangi Day celebrations to raise awareness of treaty breaches and Māori grievances
• Māori artists, such as Ralph Hotere and Robyn Kahukiwa, used their work to express Māori identity, culture, and political struggles
• Māori writers, including Witi Ihimaera and Patricia Grace, produced literature that explored Māori experiences, history, and cultural identity

Cultural Revitalization

• The Māori Renaissance sought to revive and celebrate Māori culture, traditions, and identity
• Māori art forms, such as carving, weaving, and tattooing (tā moko), experienced a resurgence as symbols of cultural pride and identity
• Marae, traditional Māori meeting grounds, became centers for cultural events, ceremonies, and community gatherings
  • Many urban Māori established marae in cities to maintain cultural connections and practices
• Kapa haka, a form of Māori performing arts combining song, dance, and chanting, gained popularity as a means of cultural expression and education
• Māori festivals, such as Te Matatini (a national kapa haka competition), showcased Māori culture and attracted both Māori and non-Māori audiences
• The revival of traditional Māori practices, such as the use of medicinal plants (rongoā Māori) and the incorporation of Māori concepts in healthcare (hauora), demonstrated a renewed appreciation for Māori knowledge systems

Political Activism

• Māori political activism during the Renaissance aimed to address injustices, assert Māori rights, and push for self-determination
• The 1975 Land March, led by Whina Cooper, brought attention to ongoing land alienation and breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi
• Protest movements, such as the Bastion Point occupation (1977-1978) and the Raglan Golf Course occupation (1978), highlighted Māori land rights issues and the need for treaty settlements
• The 1981 Springbok Tour protests against South African apartheid saw Māori activists join forces with other groups to oppose racism and discrimination
• The Māori sovereignty movement, which emerged in the 1980s, called for greater Māori autonomy and the recognition of Māori as a sovereign people under the Treaty of Waitangi
  • This movement led to the establishment of Māori-controlled institutions, such as the Māori Congress and the Māori Council
• Māori politicians, such as Matiu Rata and Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan, advocated for Māori interests and rights within the New Zealand Parliament
• The Waitangi Tribunal, established in 1975, began to investigate and make recommendations on Māori claims of treaty breaches, providing a legal avenue for redress

Educational Reforms

• The Māori Renaissance recognized the importance of education in promoting Māori language, culture, and success
• The establishment of Māori-medium schools, such as Kōhanga Reo (Māori language preschools) and Kura Kaupapa Māori (Māori language immersion schools), aimed to revitalize the Māori language and provide culturally appropriate education
  • These schools incorporated Māori values, traditions, and teaching methods into their curricula
• The introduction of Māori studies and language courses in universities and colleges increased opportunities for Māori to pursue higher education and research in their own culture
• The Wānanga, Māori tertiary institutions, were established to provide education grounded in Māori knowledge systems and values
  • Examples include Te Wānanga o Raukawa, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, and Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi
• Māori educators and scholars, such as Ranginui Walker and Linda Tuhiwai Smith, played crucial roles in developing Māori education policies and practices
• The Māori Education Strategy, launched in 1999, aimed to improve Māori educational outcomes and close the achievement gap between Māori and non-Māori students

Language Revival

• The Māori language (te reo Māori) was a central focus of the Māori Renaissance, as it was seen as essential to Māori identity and cultural survival
• The establishment of Kōhanga Reo (Māori language preschools) in the 1980s aimed to immerse young children in the Māori language and culture
  • By 1994, there were over 800 Kōhanga Reo throughout New Zealand
• Kura Kaupapa Māori (Māori language immersion schools) were established to provide primary and secondary education in the Māori language
• The Māori Language Act of 1987 recognized te reo Māori as an official language of New Zealand and established the Māori Language Commission (Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori) to promote its use
• Māori language courses and programs were introduced in universities, community centers, and workplaces to encourage adult learners
• Māori language media, such as Māori Television and Māori radio stations, provided platforms for Māori language content and helped normalize its use in everyday life
• The Māori Language Week (Te Wiki o te Reo Māori) was established to celebrate and promote the use of te reo Māori throughout the country

Land Rights and Treaty Claims

• The Māori Renaissance brought renewed focus on Māori land rights and the resolution of historical Treaty of Waitangi breaches
• The Waitangi Tribunal, established in 1975, began to investigate and make recommendations on Māori claims of treaty breaches
  • The tribunal's powers were expanded in 1985 to allow it to hear claims dating back to 1840
• Significant treaty settlements were reached between the New Zealand government and Māori iwi (tribes) to address historical grievances and provide compensation
  • Examples include the Ngāi Tahu settlement (1998), the Tainui settlement (1995), and the Ngāi Tūhoe settlement (2013)
• The settlements often included financial compensation, the return of land, and the recognition of Māori cultural and territorial rights
• The establishment of Māori land trusts and incorporations allowed for the collective management and development of Māori-owned land
• The Foreshore and Seabed Act of 2004, which vested ownership of the foreshore and seabed in the Crown, sparked Māori protests and claims of treaty breaches
  • The act was eventually repealed and replaced by the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act in 2011, which recognized Māori customary rights

Contemporary Impact and Ongoing Challenges

• The Māori Renaissance has had a lasting impact on New Zealand society, politics, and culture
• Māori culture and language are now more visible and celebrated in public life, with Māori art, music, and traditions being embraced by both Māori and non-Māori
• Māori have achieved greater political representation and influence, with Māori MPs, ministers, and even a Māori-led political party (the Māori Party)
• The treaty settlement process has provided Māori iwi with resources and opportunities for economic development and cultural revitalization
• However, Māori continue to face ongoing challenges and disparities in areas such as education, health, employment, and criminal justice
  • Māori are overrepresented in the criminal justice system and have higher rates of incarceration compared to non-Māori
• The intergenerational impacts of colonization, land loss, and cultural dislocation continue to affect Māori communities
• Efforts to close the socioeconomic gaps between Māori and non-Māori and to ensure the full realization of Māori rights under the Treaty of Waitangi remain ongoing
• The Māori Renaissance has laid the foundation for a more inclusive and equitable New Zealand society, but there is still work to be done to achieve true partnership and reconciliation between Māori and the Crown